Club World Cup Final: PSG Favourites, Chelsea Dream

Club World Cup final week has arrived and, with it, a chance to settle the argument about who truly rules the planet’s club game. The Parisian juggernaut stands 90 minutes from another trophy; the youthful, unpredictable Blues from west London are desperate to shatter the script. Whatever happens in Jeddah, the 2024 edition of FIFA’s expanded showpiece will leave a lasting imprint on global football.

Club World Cup final tactical battleground

Club World Cup final clashes often hinge on midfield control, and this one should be no different. PSG boss Luis Enrique has welded together a fluid 4-3-3 built on Marco Verratti’s metronomic passing and Warren Zaïre-Emery’s box-to-box surges. Wide rotation frees up Ousmane Dembele to isolate full-backs, while Kylian Mbappé drifts into the left half-space to finish moves at frightening speed. Against lesser opposition the system has looked untouchable, producing 17 goals in four matches en route to the final.

Chelsea, however, will not grant the French champions the freedom they enjoyed against América or Al-Ahly. Enzo Maresca’s 3-2-4-1 out of possession morphs into an aggressive 4-4-2 press, with Conor Gallagher hunting the ball and Moisés Caicedo sweeping up second phases. If the Premier League side can clog Verratti’s passing lanes and keep their back five compact, they have the tools to survive long enough for their talented forwards to strike.

Can Chelsea spring the upset?

Despite being clear underdogs, Chelsea can point to two potent weapons. First, the Cole Palmer factor: the ex-City academy graduate already owns 18 direct goal contributions this term. Palmer’s ability to drift between the lines could unbalance PSG’s high back line, especially if quick diagonal balls find him facing goal.

Second, Maresca’s training-ground automatisms—triangular overloads down the flanks—have produced some of the tournament’s slickest passages of play. Reece James and Malo Gusto will overlap relentlessly, forcing Dembele and Mbappé to track back or risk being outnumbered. A single defensive lapse by PSG could hand Nicolas Jackson or Raheem Sterling the moment they need.

Set-pieces: the leveller

Chelsea’s aerial prowess is a genuine concern for Luis Enrique. Benoît Badiashile, Thiago Silva and Axel Disasi average a combined 0.8 goals per game from dead-ball situations this season. PSG, by contrast, conceded twice from corners in the semi-final. In a tight Club World Cup final, the first header could define the night.

Dembele’s Ballon d’Or audition

No storyline resonates louder than Ousmane Dembele chasing personal glory. The winger enters the Club World Cup final with eight goal involvements in his last five matches and whispers that a star-turn here would rocket him into Ballon d’Or contention. Ligue 1 watchers rave about his decision-making maturity; analytics love his 0.46 expected assists per 90. Yet doubters still recall the inconsistency that dogged his Barcelona days. A match-winning display against a Premier League defence could settle that debate once and for all.

For Chelsea, Palmer and Sterling represent outside Ballon d’Or long shots, but the night is really about building belief inside a squad still finding its identity. Spoiling Dembele’s coronation would send a message that Stamford Bridge’s rebuild is ahead of schedule.

Has the tournament delivered?

The revamped format drew criticism when continental powerhouses like Real Madrid and Bayern Munich failed to qualify. Early mismatches amplified concerns, but knockout drama has largely won sceptics over. América’s penalty shoot-out heartbreak, Al-Ahly’s late winner against Asian champions Urawa Reds and, of course, Chelsea’s nerve-shredding semi-final escape all provided genuine spectacle.

Commercially, FIFA’s gambit looks vindicated. Combined global viewing figures already eclipse last year’s by 23%, while local organisers report near-sell-outs for every match featuring European or South American sides. The Club World Cup final arriving with two heavyweight brands should put an exclamation point on the event.

Legacy implications

Victory would give PSG their first officially recognised world title—a milestone the Qatari ownership craves. It could also mark Kylian Mbappé’s final silverware in a PSG shirt, adding emotional weight. For Chelsea, a triumph would be a vindication of Todd Boehly’s lavish spending spree and hand Maresca a massive platform to build on before the Premier League run-in.

Opinion: Expect fireworks, not a procession

Arguments that the Club World Cup final is a foregone conclusion underestimate cup-final psychology. PSG’s floor is unquestionably higher, but Chelsea’s ceiling—when their press clicks and Palmer weaves his magic—is good enough to rattle giants. My gut says Paris edge it 3-2 after extra-time, Dembele grabbing the decisive assist and burnishing his Ballon d’Or case. Yet the mere possibility of an upset is proof that this tournament, finally, feels worthy of the hype.